Petunia plant named &#39;Sunsurf Miyarona&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunsurf Miyarona’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; double-type flowers that are deep salmon pink in color; and good garden performance and high temperature tolerance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Petunia×hybrida

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘SUNSURF MIYARONA’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunsurf Miyarona’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely-flowering Petunia plants with double-type flowers and high temperature tolerance.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2011 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code designation 11 Pet-42, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code designation 2588, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since June, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunsurf Miyarona’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunsurf Miyarona’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Double-type flowers that are deep salmon pink in color.     -   7. Good garden performance and high temperature tolerance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower size as plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Petunia are more compact and more upright than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia×hybrida ‘Sundarose’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,430. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sundarose’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more upright and larger than         plants of ‘Sundarose’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Petunia were elliptic in shape         whereas leaves of plants of ‘Sundarose’ were ovate in shape.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sundarose’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sundarose’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Sundarose’ had flowers that were bright red         purple in color.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller sepals than plants of         ‘Sundarose’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant. The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Miyarona’ grown in a container. The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Miyarona’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were six and seven months old when the description and photographs, respectively, were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunsurf Miyarona’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code designation 11 Pet-42,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code designation 2588, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright and             mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous             lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances             lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 58 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 29 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 138A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137C; venation, close to 138C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D; venation,             close to 138D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 6.7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 138C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Double-type salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             usually about 107 flowers developing per plant during the             flowering season; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Petunia initiate             and develop flowers about seven weeks after planting; long             flowering period, flowering commences naturally during the             spring and plants flower continuously throughout the summer             until late autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 6.5 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 77C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.1 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 3.4 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 2 cm.         -   Tube length.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: About 15 petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1.7 cm. Petal width: About 1.8 cm. Petal shape:             Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal margin:             Entire; strongly undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when             opening, upper surface: Close to 47B. Petal, when opening,             lower surface: Close to 65C. Petal, fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 58C; towards the base, close to 63D;             venation, close to 47A; colors becoming closer to 58A and             52B with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 62C; venation, close to 62C; color does not change             with development. Throat: Close to 145D; venation, close to             138B. Tube: Close to 157B; venation, close to 157B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal             length: About 8.3 mm. Sepal width: About 1.7 mm. Sepal             shape: Narrowly elliptic. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.             Color: Developing sepals, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Developing sepals, lower surface: Close to 143B. Fully             expanded sepals, upper surface: Close to 143A. Fully             expanded sepals, lower surface: Close to 143C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8.3 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Outwardly. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Stamen length: About 1.3 cm to 1.6 cm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.3 mm by 2.3 mm. Anther             color: Close to 155C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to NN155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 1.5 cm. Style color: Close to 144C. Stigma             shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to             144A. Ovary color: Close to 144A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and             fruit development have not been observed on plants of the             new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Miyarona’ as illustrated and described. 